Tested: Time trial speed with Vittoria Corsa PRO Speed TLR

Plenty of R&D has gone into the latest speed-focused time trial tyres from Vittoria.

Vittoria says the Corsa PRO Speed TLR is engineered for TTs and triathlon, and while I’m neither a time trialist nor triathlete, it certainly provided for an enlightening eight weeks of testing.

First impressions

Aesthetically, the Corsa PRO Speed TLR really looks the business. It’s exclusively available with Vittoria’s ‘para’ sidewalls, which, when matched with deep carbon rims, cut a classic retro style that somewhat belies the fact it’s absolutely loaded with modern tyre tech. The other main talking point is weight. Each 28mm tyre comes in bang on Vittoria’s advertised 250 grams, which is around 45g – or close to 20 per cent – leaner than the equivalent Corsa Pro TLR tyre and two per cent lighter than the previous generation of Corsa Speed TLR. This makes the Corsa PRO Speed TLR one of the lightest tubeless-ready road tyres ever to hit the market.

Tech

The Corsa PRO Speed TLR retains a 320 TPI core-spun cotton carcass in keeping with Vittoria’s higher-end Corsa models. Undoubtedly lighter and more supple to ride, cotton casings are not generally as robust, with the exposed sidewalls especially vulnerable. Ultimately, that’s the trade-off here. Of course, being tubeless-ready makes them more puncture resistant and durable, in theory at least. In terms of the tread area, the Corsa PRO Speed TLR features a single compound that introduces an all-new variation on Vittoria’s proprietary graphene/silica hybrid technology, whilst the whole ensemble is anchored in place with a Zylon (synthetic polymer) bead.

Electrically cured to eliminate seams and boost aerodynamics, Vittoria has also tweaked the groove distribution on the tread area to provide a wider central slick area for faster straight-line speed, whilst the grooves draw closer towards the tyre edges to aid grip. The tread thickness is less than the Corsa PRO TLR, but comparable to the previous generation Corsa Speed.

If you’re looking for a tube option, I have bad news. There isn’t one. The 2024 Corsa PRO Speed is available as tubeless-ready only. The 28mm Corsa PRO Speed TLR (reviewed) is hookless compatible, however, the 24mm and 26mm models are not.

Fitting

Vittoria’s higher end tubeless tyres have developed a bit of a reputation for being tricky to seat at times, and that was very much my experience. Curiously though, it was a tale of two tyres. The first tyre seated and inflated very easily, probably the most straightforward tubeless experience I’ve ever had. Tyre number two, however, was a completely different story. Yes, I could seat the tyre initially using my trusty Air Shot (possibly the best investment you’ll ever make if you run tubeless and don’t own a compressor). However, the moment I deflated it to add the sealant and reinstall the valve core, the tyre bead popped straight off. How did I seat the first tyre so easily? I’m still not entirely sure – pure luck, perhaps – such are the vagaries of carbon wheels, rim tape and tyre beads. Regardless, I persevered and after changing strategy to add the sealant pre-inflation and then seat the tyre with the valve core still in place (I later learned this is Vittoria’s recommended approach), all was well. It’s also worth mentioning that I found the Corsa PRO Speed TLR takes a little while to fully seal and hold its air reliably. Expect some extra reinflating and wheel rotating in the first day or two, but after that, you should have no issues. Once installed on my hooked carbon rims (22mm internal width, 29mm external) the review tyres measured at 28mm.

On the road

Whilst, yes, I experienced a few seating quirks, these were quickly forgotten when I started riding. The Corsa PRO Speed TLR rolls and handles fantastically well, especially when you’re hurtling along smooth, well surfaced roads. They feel fast. They feel efficient. They’re quiet. They zip along like the high-performance thoroughbreds they are – something that required me to frequently scrub my speed when following wheels, especially on downhills. As for grip? It’s first class, right up there with the very best tyres I’ve ridden, even in wet weather, which is something I wasn’t entirely expecting given the compound offers such outstanding rolling resistance. Questions around durability were always in the back of my mind, however, after some initial trepidation, I actually found the Corsa PRO Speed TLR to be far more robust than I was anticipating and, frankly, after eight weeks of riding my feeling is it would be wrong to dismiss them as an overly delicate or fragile tyre. (In fact, once the review proper was complete, I did my best to puncture them. It took quite some doing.) Yes, other tyres will give you much greater puncture protection and longevity. But coupled with the advantages of running tubeless, the PRO Speed TLR is more resilient than you might imagine. These are time trialling tyres after all, so it could get a little expensive if you intend to ride on them regularly and/or subject them to questionable road surfaces.

Specifications

Vittoria Corsa PRO Speed TLR

RRP: $175

Sizes: 24mm and 26mm (hooked rims only), 28mm (hookless compatible)

Weight: 250g (28mm)

More info gkasports.com.au